A/N: Merry Christmas & Happy 2014! Hope everyone's holidays were safe and memorable!

So here's the 2nd installment of Unfamiliar Feelings. If you're just tuning in, Part 1 is just a few clicks away!

Thanks to everyone for reading and enjoying my fanfic! :) Much love and appreciation!

Unfamiliar Feelings: Part II

Chapter 1

The hot breeze signaled that summer was well underway; the quiet sounds of nature buzzed around her as she inhaled the fresh air; the soft grass tickled her skin. She didn't realize how much she missed her home. Even after the countless journeys around the world, in the past and the future, this place was where she truly belonged.

"I still can't believe you decided this place. There were so many other choices!" Asa ignored the dread coming from her companion's mouth. He'd learn to love it, eventually.

"You know, you could have just stayed on one of the beaches and lived your life in the ocean. I didn't force you to come." She pointed out, getting to her feet. She'd have to find somewhere to live, possibly close to water to at least satisfy the Otter for a little while.

"And do you hear that?"

"No. It's quiet."

"Exactly!" His small legs moved fast as he tried to keep up with his mistress. Joplin scurried around her feet, looking about the foreign lands. There were no roads around. No high buildings or people roaming around. It was quiet. Too quiet.

"Just the other week you were complaining about how noisy the neighborhood was. You couldn't get any sleep."

"Well, that was before I realize you were sending us to live in the middle of nowhere." He grumbled.

Asa rolled her eyes, he was never happy.

They emerged from the forest to find land that was dead and barren. There was no life anywhere; the trees had withered and broke from their roots. The grass receded exposing the hard, cracked ground. Just a few feet away, the river bank was dried of water, only the bones of fish remained under the bedrock.

The demon walked to the edge of the riverbank. It seemed to empty into a lake a few miles down, which seemed to be growing shallow, but she couldn't really tell. She saw smoke over the small mountain which meant there was a village nearby but not close enough where anyone would disturb her.

"It's dead here." her companion said from behind her. "There's nothing." Joplin may have secretly like the idea of living in this world, but he had his limits and living in such a desolate location was one of them.

"Not for long." She crouched down, her fingers touching the damaged land. It only took a little effort to tap into her power. Soon after, the dried dirt turned into brown and rich soil; grass and flowers began to bloom around her. New life began to grow from the rotten trunks, sprouting high and flourishing. Rumbling could be heard in the distance, coming closer to them. Joplin rushed to her side when a wall of water came in their direction. The coldness of the water splash on Asa's feet; from where the source of water came from, she didn't know, but the medium sized stream was filled and flowed steadily.

She patted her hands together, pleased with herself. She realized just how large the land was once it was healed.

She had a lot to work with.

"Ok. Now that's done." She looked down at the brown and red otter who sat at her feet, bathing himself in the cold water.

See, he's already warming up to our new home.

"Let's start building."


Inuyasha stood in front of the hut he and his wife of three years had shared. A little pissed off that Kagome had left with Kaede to pick more healing herbs before they were gone for the summer. Any other time he wouldn't have mind, but the fact that she was pregnant had a lot to with his attitude. Though the days of fighting for their lives were long over, he still had the right to worry.

He sighed, scratching his head. She wasn't in any real danger and she would be back shortly. However, he could feel something had changed in the past eight days, but he couldn't quite place it. Maybe he'd ask Sesshomaru once he came to the village. He could sense that he wasn't too far away, coming yet again to visit Rin and drop off a gift or two. Too bad for him that Rin was off exploring nearby along with the twins, Mai and Sakura.

He had never thought he would be living happily. He just knew he was destined for a life of turmoil and misery. His life changed once Kagome pulled the sacred arrow from his heart. They definitely had bad times together, but over time he couldn't think of his future without her in it. And now in a few months she was bringing his first child in the world. Surrounded by loved ones and friends, how could he ask for anything more?

"Inuyasha." He turned his head and tried to give a stern look when the love of his life came towards him, the old woman was alongside her. He didn't think she could get more beautiful, a glow seemed to radiate from her since the day she became pregnant; she took his breath away.

"You were waiting for us? How sweet." Kagome smile, negating the fact that Inuyasha was glaring. She kissed him softly before he could protest. Relieved that her kiss had work; she shuffled into their hut to place the herbs she had picked inside.

"Well, if it isn't Kohaku." Kaede noted. Inuyasha looked up just as Kirara landed in front of him carrying the skilled demon slayer.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" It was rare that Sango's brother visited; he was always off training somewhere, it seemed he never had the time to come see them.

"Hey, Inuyasha. Lady Kaede. I just came to say hi and give my nieces and nephew these gifts." He smiled, holding a trio of wooden dolls in his hand. Before Inuyasha could speak, Kagome emerged.

"Kohaku!" the young woman greeted the boy happily. "We haven't seen you in ages!" squealing, she embraced him.

"Hi, Kagome." He hugged her back, but felt something was off. "Wow! You're pregnant?!" Kokahu, wide eyed, looked between the couple in awe. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks!" both of them said in unison.

"Kohaku?" The young man let go of Kagome when he heard the familiar voice of his sister. "I thought that was you." Sango trotted away from her husband and was greeted by Kirara large head as she purred loudly in content.

"Hello to you too, Kirara." She gave her beige fur long strokes before turning to her brother. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to say hello and to give Mai, Sakura, and Daisuke these." He held up on of the dolls to the toddler who jumped in his father's arms at the gift. He grabbed his hugging it close to him.

"What do you say, Daisuke?" Miroku coached his son.

"Thank you!" the boy giggled.

As the group chatted about what was going on in each other's lives, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"Is something troubling you, Inuyasha?" Kaede looked at the hanyou who seemed to be scowling at no one in particular.

"It's weird that everyone is here." He finally said.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Miroku arched an eyebrow as the others continued to talk. "Not everyone is here."

"There's Sesshomaru right now, and Shippo is coming over the hill." As he spoke, both his brother and the fox demon walked towards them. "See, it's weird."

Sango placed a hand on her cocked hip. "We're all family. Why is it weird that everyone is around each other?"

"I'm not saying it's weird that everyone is here. I'm saying it's weird that everyone is here, all at once." He shook his head in frustration when everyone just gave him an odd look. Gods, he couldn't explain it. "Something bad is about to happen. I can feel it."

"What incoherent nonsense are you spewing now?

Inuyasha decided not to answer. He was feeling bad about something but what was it? What was stirring around him?

"Inu…"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the shrill from over the hill caught everyone's attention. Their hearts plummeted to their feet when Rin came into sight. Her blue and green kimono was tattered at the shoulders, her face and arms were caked with dirt. What worried the group even more was that the twins were nowhere to be found.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Inuyasha!" in her haste to get to them, she tripped, tumbling to the bottom of the hill.

The demon lord was at her side, helping her to steady herself. She was wild eyed and hysterical as she cried.

"A demon bird attacked us! It took Mai and Sakura!"